Sewing-machine attachment



F. THOMAS.

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAYG. 1920,

1,860,598. Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. THOMAS.

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, I920. '1 ,360,598, Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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Frederic/ 77907770:

To all whom it may concern:

specification.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

Application filed. May 6, 1920. Serial No. 379,291.

Be it known that I, FREDERICK THQMAE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Sewing-Machine Attachment, of which the following is a The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple, comparatively inexpensive and efiicient attachment for sewing machines which can be readily put into and out of action and by means of which elastic tape can be inclosed and sewed throughout its length in a twice folded hem, either to form gathers 'in which the tape is stitched or to form an inelastic portion in which the tape is stitched, as desired, and this either in tubular or slitted work.

The invention will be claimed at the end hereof but will be first described in connection with the embodiment of it chosen from other embodiments for the sake of an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3, .is a diagrammatic view illustrative of the product of the attachment.

Fig. 4, is a top or plan new of the attachment including at the top a sketch of the outline of the outlet end of the attachment. Fig. 5, is a diagrammatic view showing the elastic tape in the form it assumes 1n going through the attachment.

Fig. 6, is an elevational view of the 1nlet end of the attachment.

Fig. 7 is a top or plan view partly in section.

Fig. 8, is a diagrammatic view showing how the elastic tape in turning folds the fabric around it in passing through the attachment, and

Fig. 9, isa schematic view of a finished product.

In the drawings 1, collectively is a foot arranged in advance of the needle and consisting of a tube ,2, split as at 3, and provided at-theedges of the split withspaced superposed plates 4: and 5, between which the body of the fabric passes and of which the upper plate 5, extends partly across the tube and isprovided with a vertical tapeguide wall 6, Fig. 7. The outlet 7 of the tube, see top of Fig. 4, is generally oblong and horizontal and the tape inlet 8, of the tube consisting in part of the wall 6, Fig. 2, is generally vertical, so that the elastic tape a, 1n passing through the tube is given a quarter turn in the direction indicated b the arrow in Fig. 8. The upper plate 5, 1s shown as also provided with a horn or guide 9*, arranged at the inlet of the tube with space at 9", for the passage of the tape, and it serves as a guide or help for the operator in feeding the edge of the goods 6, with an initial fold into the tube. 9, is a manually operated friction tension lever pivoted to the plate 5, as at 10, and provided with a tape feed inclosed channel 11, slightly warped out of the vertical, and with a tension finger 12, that cooperates with the vertical wall 6, to free and to retard the passage of the tape. 13, is an adjustable stop for the lever 9. 14, is a bracket applied-to the-head of the sewing machine by slot and screw connection 15, so

that vertical adjustment is provided. 16, is

an arm turnable on the bracket in respect to or toward and away from a stop screw 17, and at its lower end it is connected with the foot 1, by screw and hole connection 18.

To finlsh, for example, the top of a petticoat with an elastic tape, the elastic tape is run through the tube 2, along with the edge of the top of the petticoat, so that the quarter turn imparted to the tape in cooperation with the tube 2, puts the tape inside of a fold in the goods after the fashionin of a hem in whichthe goods or stuff is olded twice. If lever 9, is turned to free the passage of the elastic tape, 2'. e. clockwise in Fig. 7, and is held in such position, the

' stitches-m, Fig.3, catch not only the elastic.

tape but also the goods, see y, Fig. 3, and by reason of the absence of retardation of the tape inelasticity is produced as at c, Fig. 9,

in the product such as is appropriate for i the front of the petticoat and for the parts adjoining the placket, where the fastening devices are applied. If the lever 9, is released it is turned by the drag of the tape in the other direction and its finger 12, re

tards the passage of the elastic tape and this elongates or stretches the tape but it is nevertheless cau ht by the stitches 00, see 2,, in Fig. 3, and wen the fabric and tape are released from tension the elastic tape con-' tracts and the goods are gathered as indicated at d, Fig. 9, and this is appropriate knees of bloomers which are not provided with plackets but are tubular. In the case of such articles the work is done in the manner described by means of the attachment nearly around the article, then-the attach:

ment is put out of action and the little remaining work is done by hand feeding and folding.

the hem.

Inasmuch as the tape is always in the path of the stitching mechanism it is stitched throughout the length and at all points of the hem and in this way the seam 1s equally It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made in details of construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention,

which latter is not limited as to such matters or otherwise than as the prior art and th appended claims may require.

I claim:

1. A sewing machine attachment comprising in combination a support consisting of a bracket and an adjustable swinging arm arranged for attachment to a sewing machine head, a foot carried by the arm and arranged in advance of the needle, an elastic-tape and fabric guide provided in the foot and consisting of agenerally upright tape guide wall and a fabric and tape recelving tube having a generally horizontal outlet whereby the'tape is given a quarter turn which wraps the fabric around it, and a friction tension lever provided on the foot and adapted to be moved to apply'tension to the tape to stretch and to release the tape while in the path of the stitching.

2. A sewing machine attachment comprising in combination a support consisting of a racket and an adjusta le swinging arm arranged for attachment to a sewing ma chine head, a foot carried by the arm and arranged in advance of the needle, an elastic-tape and fabric guide provided in the foot and consisting of a enerally upright tape guide wall and a fa ric and tape receiving tube havinga generally horizontal outlet whereby the tape is given a uarter turn which wraps the fabric aroun it, a

tially as described.

strong throughout the length of friction tension lever provided on the foot and adapted to be moved to appl tension to the tape to stretch and to re ease the tape while permitting the needle to at all times penetrate the tape, and a guide spaced from the wall for the passage of the ta e andprojecting from the inlet of the tu into the line of feed of the fabric, substan- 3. A sewing machine attachment comprisin in combination, a foot consisting of a spit tube having a horizontal outlet and provided" at the edges of the split with spaced superposed plates between which the body of the fabric passes and of which the uppe plate projects in the tube, a vertical tapeuide wall provided on the upper plate and t at cooperates with the horizontal'outlet to give the tape a quarter turn, a fabricfolding guide provided on the upper plate and arranged at the entrance of the tube and spaced clear of the .wall, means for appl ing and releasing tension in respect to t e tape, and devices for positioning the foot tape to feed when operative for insertin the tape at all times into t e path ofthe stitching, substantially as described.

4. A sewing machine attachment comprising in combination, a foot consisting of a split tube having a horizontal outlet and provided at the edges of the split with spaced su erposed plates between which-the body of t e fabric passes-and of which the upper'plate projects in the tube, a vertical tape-guide wall provided on the upper plate and that cooperates with the horizontal outlet to give the tape a quarter turn, means for applying and releasin tension in respect to the tape, and devices for positioning the foot, when operative for inserting tape, to feed the tape at all times into the ath of the stitching, substantially asdescri d.

5. A sewing machine attachment comprise.

sewing, and a pivotal manually shifted tension lever provided on the foot and held in action by the tape, substantially as described.

6. A sewing machine attachment comprising the combination of a foot provided with a fabric folding tube having a horizontal outlet and a vertical elastic tape inlet feed whereby the tape in taking a quarter turn wraps the fabric around it preparatory to sewing, a freely movable pivotal tension lever provided on the foot and manually held out of action andheld in action by the tape, and a movable bracket arm carrying the foot and adapted to position it in operative and inoperative positions, substantially as described.

7. In an attachment of the class specified tal outlet and top and bottom plates be- 5 tween which the body of the Work passes, a

vertical tape-guide Wall provided on the top ate and constituting With the tube a vertiand a manually operated friction tension lever pivoted to the top plate and provided with a tape feed in- .10 closed channel and With a tension finger adapted to cooperate with the vertical Wall, substantially as described.

FREDERICK THOMAS.

cal tape entrance, 

